U.S. patent application number 16/352449 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-19 for automated purchase card disable system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.. Invention is credited to Howard ABRAMOWITZ, Eric Han Kai CHANG, Nicholas FISHER, Priyanka MALKOTI, Dipak K. MUKHOPADHYAY, John L. OLIVER, III, Noor SHADID, Gabriella M. TOLOTTA, Sudheer K. VANKADARA, James P. WHITE, III, Edward ZLATSEN.
Application Number | 20190287094 16/352449 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67905799 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-19 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20190287094 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FISHER; Nicholas ; et
al. |
September 19, 2019 |
AUTOMATED PURCHASE CARD DISABLE SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
Systems and methods for automatically enabling and disabling a
purchase card based on predetermined preferences set by a
cardholder are provided. The systems and methods enable users to
set preferences in advance, and then automatically determine
whether to accept or decline a transaction based on the preset
preferences. The systems and methods may also implement a learning
algorithm to develop preferences based on historical cardholder
behavior.
Inventors: |
FISHER; Nicholas;
(Middletown, DE) ; MUKHOPADHYAY; Dipak K.; (Bear,
DE) ; ABRAMOWITZ; Howard; (Philadelphia, PA) ;
TOLOTTA; Gabriella M.; (Garnet Valley, PA) ; MALKOTI;
Priyanka; (Wilmington, DE) ; SHADID; Noor;
(Wilmington, DE) ; ZLATSEN; Edward; (Wilmington,
DE) ; WHITE, III; James P.; (Middletown, DE) ;
OLIVER, III; John L.; (Smyrna, DE) ; CHANG; Eric Han
Kai; (Wilmington, DE) ; VANKADARA; Sudheer K.;
(Newark, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
67905799 |
Appl. No.: |
16/352449 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62643228 |
Mar 15, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/354 20130101;
G06Q 20/356 20130101; G06Q 20/405 20130101; G06Q 20/4093 20130101;
H04L 67/02 20130101; H04L 67/22 20130101; H04W 4/029 20180201 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/34 20060101
G06Q020/34; G06Q 20/40 20060101 G06Q020/40; H04W 4/029 20060101
H04W004/029 |
Claims
1. A method for automatically determining whether to disable a
purchase card, the method being implemented by a web application
that is executed by a processor on a mobile communication device,
the method comprising: receiving, by the processor via the web
application and from a user, user input that includes at least one
first entry that relates to a criterion for permitting a
transaction without further consideration and at least one second
entry that relates to a preference for declining a transaction;
accessing, from a memory, historical transaction information that
relates to at least one transaction that has previously been
completed; generating, by the processor, at least one history-based
rule based on the accessed historical transaction information;
receiving, by the processor via the web application, information
that relates to a proposed transaction; determining, by the
processor, whether to recommend a preauthorization for the proposed
transaction or to recommend a declination of the preauthorization,
based on the at least one first entry, the at least one second
entry, the at least one history-based rule, and the information
that relates to the proposed transaction; and displaying, on a
display of the mobile communication device, a recommendation
message based on a result of the determining.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion for
permitting a transaction without further consideration relates to a
list of permitted merchants.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one history-based
rule relates to adding a merchant name that relates to the at least
one previously-completed transaction to the list of permitted
merchants.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one history-based
rule relates to a location, a day of a week, and a time of the day
at which the at least one transaction was previously completed.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second entry
relates to a spending limitation for a proposed purchase.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second entry
relates to a proposed purchase of merchandise that relates to at
least one merchant category.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one merchant
category includes at least one from among alcohol and a casino.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second entry
relates to a geographical restriction for a proposed purchase.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second entry
relates to a listing of disfavored merchants.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying, on the
display of the mobile communication device, a multi-factor
authentication selection user interface that includes a plurality
of selectable authentication types; and receiving, from the user,
at least one selection from among the plurality of authentication
types, wherein, when a proposed transaction is initiated, the
method further includes performing an authentication of the user
based on the received at least one selection.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on the
display of the mobile communication device, a user prompt that
relates to whether to approve or decline the transaction.
12. A portable device configured to implement an execution of a web
application for automatically determining whether to disable a
purchase card, the portable device comprising: a display screen; a
processor; a memory; and a communication interface coupled to each
of the processor, the memory, and the display screen, wherein, when
the web application is being executed, the processor is configured
to: receive, from a user via the communication interface, user
input that includes at least one first entry that relates to a
criterion for permitting a transaction without further
consideration and at least one second entry that relates to a
preference for declining a transaction; access, from the memory,
historical transaction information that relates to at least one
transaction that has previously been completed; generate at least
one history-based rule based on the accessed historical transaction
information; receive, via the communication interface, information
that relates to a proposed transaction; determine whether to
recommend a preauthorization for the proposed transaction or to
recommend a declination of the preauthorization, based on the at
least one first entry, the at least one second entry, the at least
one history-based rule, and the information that relates to the
proposed transaction; and display, on the display screen, a
recommendation message based on a result of the determining.
13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
criterion for permitting a transaction without further
consideration relates to a list of permitted merchants.
14. The portable device of claim 13, wherein the at least one
history-based rule relates to adding a merchant name that relates
to the at least one previously-completed transaction to the list of
permitted merchants.
15. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
history-based rule relates to a location, a day of a week, and a
time of the day at which the at least one transaction was
previously completed.
16. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
second entry relates to a spending limitation for a proposed
purchase.
17. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
second entry relates to a proposed purchase of merchandise that
relates to at least one merchant category.
18. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the at least one
merchant category includes at least one from among alcohol and a
casino.
19. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
second entry relates to a geographical restriction for a proposed
purchase.
20. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one
second entry relates to a listing of disfavored merchants.
21. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the processor is
further configured to: display, on the display screen, a
multi-factor authentication selection user interface that includes
a plurality of selectable authentication types; and receive, from
the user, at least one selection from among the plurality of
authentication types, wherein, when a proposed transaction is
initiated, the processor is further configured to perform an
authentication of the user based on the received at least one
selection.
22. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the processor is
further configured to display, on the display screen, a user prompt
that relates to whether to approve or decline the transaction.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 62/643,228, filed Mar. 15, 2018, which
is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] This technology generally relates to systems for and methods
of automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for
attempted transactions.
2. Background Information
[0003] Because consumers are increasingly mobile, purchase cards
such as credit cards, debit cards, and preloaded stored value cards
are often used for on-line purchasing. As the prevalence of
purchase card fraud increases, fraud detection and invention have
become critically important. Methods of automated fraud detection
that rely on behavioral algorithms are known, but often result in
unnecessary and unwanted transaction rejections. Such conventional
methods frequently require that the cardholding consumer must
notify the card issuer that they are traveling to a particular
geographic region or are planning to make a relatively expensive
purchase. As a result, if the consumer fails to notify the card
issuer, transactions may be unnecessarily declined, thereby causing
inconvenience and embarrassment to the consumer.
[0004] In view of the above, there is an unmet need for systems for
and methods of automatically enabling and disabling a purchase
card.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure, through one or more of its various
aspects, embodiments, and/or specific features or sub-components,
provides, inter alia, various systems, servers, devices, methods,
media, programs, and platforms for enabling and disabling a
purchase card. The various aspects, embodiments, features, and/or
sub-components provide optimized processes of enabling and
disabling a purchase card based on user preferences and rules
derived from historical user behavior that are obtainable from a
web application during execution thereof.
[0006] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method
for automatically determining whether to disable a purchase card is
provided. The method is implemented by a web application that is
executed by a processor. The method includes: receiving, by the
processor via the web application and from a user, user input that
includes at least one first entry that relates to a criterion for
permitting a transaction without further consideration and at least
one second entry that relates to a preference for declining a
transaction; accessing, from a memory, historical transaction
information that relates to at least one transaction that has
previously been completed; generating, by the processor, at least
one history-based rule based on the accessed historical transaction
information; receiving, by the processor via the web application,
information that relates to a proposed transaction; determining, by
the processor, whether to recommend a preauthorization for the
proposed transaction or to recommend a declination of the
preauthorization, based on the at least one first entry, the at
least one second entry, the at least one history-based rule, and
the information that relates to the proposed transaction; and
displaying, on a display of the mobile communication device, a
recommendation message based on a result of the determining.
[0007] The at least one criterion for permitting a transaction
without further consideration may relate to a list of permitted
merchants.
[0008] The at least one history-based rule may relate to adding a
merchant name that relates to the at least one previously-completed
transaction to the list of permitted merchants.
[0009] The at least one history-based rule may relate to a
location, a day of a week, and a time of the day at which the at
least one transaction was previously completed.
[0010] The at least one second entry may relate to a spending
limitation for a proposed purchase.
[0011] The at least one second entry may relate to a proposed
purchase of merchandise that relates to at least one merchant
category. The at least one merchant category may include at least
one from among alcohol and a casino.
[0012] The at least one second entry may relate to a geographical
restriction for a proposed purchase.
[0013] The at least one second entry may relate to a listing of
disfavored merchants.
[0014] The method may further include: displaying, on the display
of the mobile communication device, a multi-factor authentication
selection user interface that includes a plurality of selectable
authentication types; and receiving, from the user, at least one
selection from among the plurality of authentication types. When a
proposed transaction is initiated, the method may further include
performing an authentication of the user based on the received at
least one selection.
[0015] The method may further include displaying, on the display of
the mobile communication device, a user prompt that relates to
whether to approve or decline the transaction.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a
portable device configured to implement an execution of a web
application for automatically determining whether to disable a
purchase card is provided. The portable device includes a display
screen, a processor, a memory, and a communication interface
coupled to each of the processor, the memory, and the display
screen. When the web application is being executed, the processor
is configured to: receive, from a user via the communication
interface, user input that includes at least one first entry that
relates to a criterion for permitting a transaction without further
consideration and at least one second entry that relates to a
preference for declining a transaction; access, from the memory,
historical transaction information that relates to at least one
transaction that has previously been completed; generate at least
one history-based rule based on the accessed historical transaction
information; receive, via the communication interface, information
that relates to a proposed transaction; determine whether to
recommend a preauthorization for the proposed transaction or to
recommend a declination of the preauthorization, based on the at
least one first entry, the at least one second entry, the at least
one history-based rule, and the information that relates to the
proposed transaction; and display, on the display screen, a
recommendation message based on a result of the determining.
[0017] The at least one criterion for permitting a transaction
without further consideration may relate to a list of permitted
merchants.
[0018] The at least one history-based rule may relate to adding a
merchant name that relates to the at least one previously-completed
transaction to the list of permitted merchants.
[0019] The at least one history-based rule may relate to a
location, a day of a week, and a time of the day at which the at
least one transaction was previously completed.
[0020] The at least one second entry may relate to a spending
limitation for a proposed purchase.
[0021] The at least one second entry may relate to a proposed
purchase of merchandise that relates to at least one merchant
category. The at least one merchant category may include at least
one from among alcohol and a casino.
[0022] The at least one second entry may relate to a geographical
restriction for a proposed purchase.
[0023] The at least one second entry may relate to a listing of
disfavored merchants.
[0024] The processor may be further configured to: display, on the
display screen, a multi-factor authentication selection user
interface that includes a plurality of selectable authentication
types; and receive, from the user, at least one selection from
among the plurality of authentication types. When a proposed
transaction is initiated, the processor may be further configured
to perform an authentication of the user based on the received at
least one selection.
[0025] The processor may be further configured to display, on the
display screen, a user prompt that relates to whether to approve or
decline the transaction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The present disclosure is further described in the detailed
description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of
drawings, by way of non-limiting examples of preferred embodiments
of the present disclosure, in which like characters represent like
elements throughout the several views of the drawings.
[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions via an execution of a web application.
[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary diagram of a network
environment.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary system for automatically enabling
and disabling a purchase card for attempted transactions via an
execution of a web application.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions via an execution of a web application.
[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates a first exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 6 illustrates a second exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 7 illustrates a third exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 8 illustrates a fourth exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 9 illustrates a fifth exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 10 illustrates a sixth exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 11 illustrates a seventh exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 12 illustrates an eighth exemplary screen shot of a
display of a smart phone that is executing a web application for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions, according to an exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] Through one or more of its various aspects, embodiments
and/or specific features or sub-components of the present
disclosure, are intended to bring out one or more of the advantages
as specifically described above and noted below.
[0040] The examples may also be embodied as one or more
non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored
thereon for one or more aspects of the present technology as
described and illustrated by way of the examples herein. The
instructions in some examples include executable code that, when
executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to carry
out steps necessary to implement the methods of the examples of
this technology that are described and illustrated herein.
[0041] FIG. 1 is an exemplary system for use in accordance with the
embodiments described herein. The system 100 is generally shown and
may include a computer system 102, which is generally
indicated.
[0042] The computer system 102 may include a set of instructions
that can be executed to cause the computer system 102 to perform
any one or more of the methods or computer based functions
disclosed herein, either alone or in combination with the other
described devices. The computer system 102 may operate as a
standalone device or may be connected to other systems or
peripheral devices. For example, the computer system 102 may
include, or be included within, any one or more computers, servers,
systems, communication networks or cloud environment. Even further,
the instructions may be operative in such cloud-based computing
environment.
[0043] In a networked deployment, the computer system 102 may
operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in
a server-client user network environment, a client user computer in
a cloud computing environment, or as a peer computer system in a
peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer
system 102, or portions thereof, may be implemented as, or
incorporated into, various devices, such as a personal computer, a
tablet computer, a set-top box, a personal digital assistant, a
mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop
computer, a communications device, a wireless smart phone, a
personal trusted device, a wearable device, a global positioning
satellite (GPS) device, a web appliance, or any other machine
capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or
otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.
Further, while a single computer system 102 is illustrated,
additional embodiments may include any collection of systems or
sub-systems that individually or jointly execute instructions or
perform functions. The term "system" shall be taken throughout the
present disclosure to include any collection of systems or
sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple
sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer
functions.
[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the computer system 102 may
include at least one processor 104. The processor 104 is tangible
and non-transitory. As used herein, the term "non-transitory" is to
be interpreted not as an eternal characteristic of a state, but as
a characteristic of a state that will last for a period of time.
The term "non-transitory" specifically disavows fleeting
characteristics such as characteristics of a particular carrier
wave or signal or other forms that exist only transitorily in any
place at any time. The processor 104 is an article of manufacture
and/or a machine component. The processor 104 is configured to
execute software instructions in order to perform functions as
described in the various embodiments herein. The processor 104 may
be a general purpose processor or may be part of an application
specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor 104 may also be a
microprocessor, a microcomputer, a processor chip, a controller, a
microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a state machine,
or a programmable logic device. The processor 104 may also be a
logical circuit, including a programmable gate array (PGA) such as
a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or another type of circuit
that includes discrete gate and/or transistor logic. The processor
104 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing
unit (GPU), or both. Additionally, any processor described herein
may include multiple processors, parallel processors, or both.
Multiple processors may be included in, or coupled to, a single
device or multiple devices.
[0045] The computer system 102 may also include a computer memory
106. The computer memory 106 may include a static memory, a dynamic
memory, or both in communication. Memories described herein are
tangible storage mediums that can store data and executable
instructions, and are non-transitory during the time instructions
are stored therein. Again, as used herein, the term
"non-transitory" is to be interpreted not as an eternal
characteristic of a state, but as a characteristic of a state that
will last for a period of time. The term "non-transitory"
specifically disavows fleeting characteristics such as
characteristics of a particular carrier wave or signal or other
forms that exist only transitorily in any place at any time. The
memories are an article of manufacture and/or machine component.
Memories described herein are computer-readable mediums from which
data and executable instructions can be read by a computer.
Memories as described herein may be random access memory (RAM),
read only memory (ROM), flash memory, electrically programmable
read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable
read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, a hard disk, a cache, a
removable disk, tape, compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM),
digital versatile disk (DVD), floppy disk, blu-ray disk, or any
other form of storage medium known in the art. Memories may be
volatile or non-volatile, secure and/or encrypted, unsecure and/or
unencrypted. Of course, the computer memory 106 may comprise any
combination of memories or a single storage.
[0046] The computer system 102 may further include a video display
108, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light
emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid state display,
a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display, or any other known
display.
[0047] The computer system 102 may also include at least one input
device 110, such as a keyboard, a touch-sensitive input screen or
pad, a speech input, a mouse, a remote control device having a
wireless keypad, a microphone coupled to a speech recognition
engine, a camera such as a video camera or still camera, a cursor
control device, a global positioning system (GPS) device, an
altimeter, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, or
any combination thereof. Those skilled in the art appreciate that
various embodiments of the computer system 102 may include multiple
input devices 110. Moreover, those skilled in the art further
appreciate that the above-listed, exemplary input devices 110 are
not meant to be exhaustive and that the computer system 102 may
include any additional, or alternative, input devices 110.
[0048] The computer system 102 may also include a medium reader 112
which is configured to read any one or more sets of instructions,
e.g. software, from any of the memories described herein. The
instructions, when executed by a processor, can be used to perform
one or more of the methods and processes as described herein. In a
particular embodiment, the instructions may reside completely, or
at least partially, within the memory 106, the medium reader 112,
and/or the processor 110 during execution by the computer system
102.
[0049] Furthermore, the computer system 102 may include any
additional devices, components, parts, peripherals, hardware,
software or any combination thereof which are commonly known and
understood as being included with or within a computer system, such
as, but not limited to, a network interface 114 and an output
device 116. The output device 116 may be, but is not limited to, a
speaker, an audio out, a video out, a remote control output, a
printer, or any combination thereof.
[0050] Each of the components of the computer system 102 may be
interconnected and communicate via a bus 118 or other communication
link. As shown in FIG. 1, the components may each be interconnected
and communicate via an internal bus. However, those skilled in the
art appreciate that any of the components may also be connected via
an expansion bus. Moreover, the bus 118 may enable communication
via any standard or other specification commonly known and
understood such as, but not limited to, peripheral component
interconnect, peripheral component interconnect express, parallel
advanced technology attachment, serial advanced technology
attachment, etc.
[0051] The computer system 102 may be in communication with one or
more additional computer devices 120 via a network 122. The network
122 may be, but is not limited to, a local area network, a wide
area network, the Internet, a telephony network, a short-range
network, or any other network commonly known and understood in the
art. The short-range network may include, for example, Bluetooth,
Zigbee, infrared, near field communication, ultraband, or any
combination thereof. Those skilled in the art appreciate that
additional networks 122 which are known and understood may
additionally or alternatively be used and that the exemplary
networks 122 are not limiting or exhaustive. Also, while the
network 122 is shown in FIG. 1 as a wireless network, those skilled
in the art appreciate that the network 122 may also be a wired
network.
[0052] The additional computer device 120 is shown in FIG. 1 as a
personal computer. However, those skilled in the art appreciate
that, in alternative embodiments of the present application, the
computer device 120 may be a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a
personal digital assistant, a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a
desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a
personal trusted device, a web appliance, a server, or any other
device that is capable of executing a set of instructions,
sequential or otherwise, that specify actions to be taken by that
device. Of course, those skilled in the art appreciate that the
above-listed devices are merely exemplary devices and that the
device 120 may be any additional device or apparatus commonly known
and understood in the art without departing from the scope of the
present application. For example, the computer device 120 may be
the same or similar to the computer system 102. Furthermore, those
skilled in the art similarly understand that the device may be any
combination of devices and apparatuses.
[0053] Of course, those skilled in the art appreciate that the
above-listed components of the computer system 102 are merely meant
to be exemplary and are not intended to be exhaustive and/or
inclusive. Furthermore, the examples of the components listed above
are also meant to be exemplary and similarly are not meant to be
exhaustive and/or inclusive.
[0054] In accordance with various embodiments of the present
disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented using a
hardware computer system that executes software programs. Further,
in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can
include distributed processing, component/object distributed
processing, and parallel processing. Virtual computer system
processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the
methods or functionality as described herein, and a processor
described herein may be used to support a virtual processing
environment.
[0055] As described herein, various embodiments provide optimized
processes of using a web application to automatically enable and
disable a purchase card for attempted transactions.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic of an exemplary network
environment 200 for implementing a method for automatically
enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted transactions
is illustrated. In an exemplary embodiment, the method is
implemented in a web application that is executable on any
networked computer platform, such as, for example, a wireless
mobile communication device, i.e., a smart phone.
[0057] The conducting of the commercial transaction involving a
gratuity may be implemented by a Purchase Card Enable/Disable
(PCED) device 202. The PCED device 202 may be the same or similar
to the computer system 102 as described with respect to FIG. 1. The
PCED device 202 may store one or more applications that can include
executable instructions that, when executed by the PCED device 202,
cause the PCED device 202 to perform actions, such as to transmit,
receive, or otherwise process network messages, for example, and to
perform other actions described and illustrated below with
reference to the figures. The application(s) may be implemented as
modules or components of other applications. Further, the
application(s) can be implemented as operating system extensions,
modules, plugins, or the like.
[0058] Even further, the application(s) may be operative in a
cloud-based computing environment. The application(s) may be
executed within or as virtual machine(s) or virtual server(s) that
may be managed in a cloud-based computing environment. Also, the
application(s), and even the PCED device 202 itself, may be located
in virtual server(s) running in a cloud-based computing environment
rather than being tied to one or more specific physical network
computing devices. Also, the application(s) may be running in one
or more virtual machines (VMs) executing on the PCED device 202.
Additionally, in one or more embodiments of this technology,
virtual machine(s) running on the PCED device 202 may be managed or
supervised by a hypervisor.
[0059] In the network environment 200 of FIG. 2, the PCED device
202 is coupled to a plurality of server devices 204(1)-204(n) that
hosts a plurality of databases 206(1)-206(n), and also to a
plurality of client devices 208(1)-208(n) via communication
network(s) 210. A communication interface of the PCED device 202,
such as the network interface 114 of the computer system 102 of
FIG. 1, operatively couples and communicates between the PCED
device 202, the server devices 204(1)-204(n), and/or the client
devices 208(1)-208(n), which are all coupled together by the
communication network(s) 210, although other types and/or numbers
of communication networks or systems with other types and/or
numbers of connections and/or configurations to other devices
and/or elements may also be used.
[0060] The communication network(s) 210 may be the same or similar
to the network 122 as described with respect to FIG. 1, although
the PCED device 202, the server devices 204(1)-204(n), and/or the
client devices 208(1)-208(n) may be coupled together via other
topologies. Additionally, the network environment 200 may include
other network devices such as one or more routers and/or switches,
for example, which are well known in the art and thus will not be
described herein. This technology provides a number of advantages
including methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and PCED
devices that efficiently automatically enable and disable a
purchase card for attempted transactions.
[0061] By way of example only, the communication network(s) 210 may
include local area network(s) (LAN(s)) or wide area network(s)
(WAN(s)), and can use TCP/IP over Ethernet and industry-standard
protocols, although other types and/or numbers of protocols and/or
communication networks may be used. The communication network(s)
210 in this example may employ any suitable interface mechanisms
and network communication technologies including, for example,
teletraffic in any suitable form (e.g., voice, modem, and the
like), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTNs), Ethernet-based
Packet Data Networks (PDNs), combinations thereof, and the
like.
[0062] The PCED device 202 may be a standalone device or integrated
with one or more other devices or apparatuses, such as one or more
of the server devices 204(1)-204(n), for example. In one particular
example, the PCED device 202 may include or be hosted by one of the
server devices 204(1)-204(n), and other arrangements are also
possible. Moreover, one or more of the devices of the PCED device
202 may be in a same or a different communication network including
one or more public, private, or cloud networks, for example.
[0063] The plurality of server devices 204(1)-204(n) may be the
same or similar to the computer system 102 or the computer device
120 as described with respect to FIG. 1, including any features or
combination of features described with respect thereto. For
example, any of the server devices 204(1)-204(n) may include, among
other features, one or more processors, a memory, and a
communication interface, which are coupled together by a bus or
other communication link, although other numbers and/or types of
network devices may be used. The server devices 204(1)-204(n) in
this example may process requests received from the PCED device 202
via the communication network(s) 210 according to the HTTP-based
and/or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) protocol, for example,
although other protocols may also be used.
[0064] The server devices 204(1)-204(n) may be hardware or software
or may represent a system with multiple servers in a pool, which
may include internal or external networks. The server devices
204(1)-204(n) hosts the databases 206(1)-206(n) that are configured
to store user preference data, historical user behavior data,
merchant-related data, and rules that relate to the web
application.
[0065] Although the server devices 204(1)-204(n) are illustrated as
single devices, one or more actions of each of the server devices
204(1)-204(n) may be distributed across one or more distinct
network computing devices that together comprise one or more of the
server devices 204(1)-204(n). Moreover, the server devices
204(1)-204(n) are not limited to a particular configuration. Thus,
the server devices 204(1)-204(n) may contain a plurality of network
computing devices that operate using a master/slave approach,
whereby one of the network computing devices of the server devices
204(1)-204(n) operates to manage and/or otherwise coordinate
operations of the other network computing devices.
[0066] The server devices 204(1)-204(n) may operate as a plurality
of network computing devices within a cluster architecture, a
peer-to peer architecture, virtual machines, or within a cloud
architecture, for example. Thus, the technology disclosed herein is
not to be construed as being limited to a single environment and
other configurations and architectures are also envisaged.
[0067] The plurality of client devices 208(1)-208(n) may also be
the same or similar to the computer system 102 or the computer
device 120 as described with respect to FIG. 1, including any
features or combination of features described with respect thereto.
For example, the client devices 208(1)-208(n) in this example may
include any type of computing device that can facilitate the
execution of a web application. Accordingly, the client devices
208(1)-208(n) may be mobile computing devices, desktop computing
devices, laptop computing devices, tablet computing devices,
virtual machines (including cloud-based computers), or the like,
that host chat, e-mail, or voice-to-text applications, for example.
In an exemplary embodiment, at least one client device 208 is a
wireless mobile communication device, i.e., a smart phone.
[0068] The client devices 208(1)-208(n) may run interface
applications, such as standard web browsers or standalone client
applications, which may provide an interface to communicate with
the PCED device 202 via the communication network(s) 210 in order
to communicate user requests. The client devices 208(1)-208(n) may
further include, among other features, a display device, such as a
display screen or touchscreen, and/or an input device, such as a
keyboard, for example.
[0069] Although the exemplary network environment 200 with the PCED
device 202, the server devices 204(1)-204(n), the client devices
208(1)-208(n), and the communication network(s) 210 are described
and illustrated herein, other types and/or numbers of systems,
devices, components, and/or elements in other topologies may be
used. It is to be understood that the systems of the examples
described herein are for exemplary purposes, as many variations of
the specific hardware and software used to implement the examples
are possible, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the
relevant art(s).
[0070] One or more of the devices depicted in the network
environment 200, such as the PCED device 202, the server devices
204(1)-204(n), or the client devices 208(1)-208(n), for example,
may be configured to operate as virtual instances on the same
physical machine. In other words, one or more of the PCED device
202, the server devices 204(1)-204(n), or the client devices
208(1)-208(n) may operate on the same physical device rather than
as separate devices communicating through communication network(s)
210. Additionally, there may be more or fewer PCED devices 202,
server devices 204(1)-204(n), or client devices 208(1)-208(n) than
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0071] In addition, two or more computing systems or devices may be
substituted for any one of the systems or devices in any example.
Accordingly, principles and advantages of distributed processing,
such as redundancy and replication also may be implemented, as
desired, to increase the robustness and performance of the devices
and systems of the examples. The examples may also be implemented
on computer system(s) that extend across any suitable network using
any suitable interface mechanisms and traffic technologies,
including by way of example only teletraffic in any suitable form
(e.g., voice and modem), wireless traffic networks, cellular
traffic networks, Packet Data Networks (PDNs), the Internet,
intranets, and combinations thereof.
[0072] The PCED device 202 is described and shown in FIG. 3 as
including an automatic purchase card enable/disable module 302,
although it may include other rules, policies, modules, databases,
or applications, for example. As will be described below, the
automatic purchase card enable/disable module 302 is configured to
automatically determine whether to enable or disable a purchase
card with respect to a proposed transaction in an automated,
efficient, scalable, and reliable manner. Based on information
obtained via the web application, the automatic purchase card
enable/disable module 302 receives information that relates to
preferences and criteria for permitting or declining a transaction,
as well as historical user behavior data, and then uses this
information to automatically determine whether to recommend
preauthorizing or declining the transaction.
[0073] An exemplary process 300 for automatically enabling and
disabling a purchase card for attempted transactions by utilizing
the network environment of FIG. 2 is shown as being executed in
FIG. 3. Specifically, a first client device 208(1) and a second
client device 208(2) are illustrated as being in communication with
PCED device 202. In this regard, the first client device 208(1) and
the second client device 208(2) may be "clients" of the PCED device
202 and are described herein as such. Nevertheless, it is to be
known and understood that the first client device 208(1) and/or the
second client device 208(2) need not necessarily be "clients" of
the PCED device 202, or any entity described in association
therewith herein. Any additional or alternative relationship may
exist between either or both of the first client device 208(1) and
the second client device 208(2) and the PCED device 202, or no
relationship may exist.
[0074] Further, PCED device 202 is illustrated as being able to
access a user preference and transaction rules repository 206(1)
and a historical user behavior database 206(2). The automatic
purchase card enable/disable module 302 may be configured to access
these databases for implementing a process for automatically
enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions.
[0075] The first client device 208(1) may be, for example, a smart
phone. Of course, the first client device 208(1) may be any
additional device described herein. The second client device 208(2)
may be, for example, a personal computer (PC). Of course, the
second client device 208(2) may also be any additional device
described herein.
[0076] The process may be executed via the communication network(s)
210, which may comprise plural networks as described above. For
example, in an exemplary embodiment, either or both of the first
client device 208(1) and the second client device 208(2) may
communicate with the PCED device 202 via broadband or cellular
communication. Of course, these embodiments are merely exemplary
and are not limiting or exhaustive.
[0077] Upon being started, the automatic purchase card
enable/disable module 302 executes a process for automatically
enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted transactions.
An exemplary process for using a smart phone on which a web
application to automatically enable and disable a purchase card for
attempted transactions has been downloaded is generally indicated
at flowchart 400 in FIG. 4.
[0078] In the process 400 of FIG. 4, while executing the web
application, at step S402, a user provides inputs that indicate
predetermined automatic preauthorization criteria, i.e., criteria
by which a transaction would be permitted or preauthorized without
further consideration. For example, the user may provide a
"whitelist", i.e., a list of preapproved merchants.
[0079] At step S404, the user may enter one or more user
preferences to be applied by the web application in determining
whether to recommend that a transaction should be preauthorized or
declined. In an exemplary embodiment, a user preference may include
any one or more of a spending limitation, a geographical
restriction, a restriction that relates to a merchant category or
type (e.g., an alcohol merchant, a casino, a supermarket, etc.), or
a "blacklist", i.e., a list of specific merchants that are
disfavored.
[0080] At step S406, at least one "smart" rule is generated, based
on historical user behavior data that is stored in the historical
user behavior database 206(2). The data stored in the historical
user behavior database 206(2) includes a record of transactions
that have previously been completed by the user, together with data
that relates to those transactions, such as, for example, merchant
names, geographical locations, day of the week, time of day, and
amount of the transaction. In an exemplary embodiment, the
automatic purchase card enable/disable module 302 uses this data to
identify patterns that indicate characteristics of permissible
transactions, and then to generate a rule based thereon. For
example, when a user frequents a particular location on a
particular day of the week and spends a same approximate amount, a
smart rule that indicates the location, weekday, and amount may be
generated. As another example, if a user frequents a particular
merchant, the name of the particular merchant may be added to a
whitelist.
[0081] At step S408, information that relates to a proposed new
transaction is received. In an exemplary embodiment, the web
application receives information such as a merchant, a location, a
time and date, and an amount of a proposed transaction.
[0082] At step S410, the user is authenticated. In an exemplary
embodiment, the user may be asked to provide an input, such as a
password, an answer to a security question, or a biometric input,
such as a fingerprint or an input to a facial recognition module,
in order to confirm that the user is a legitimate party for the
proposed transaction.
[0083] At step S412, a determination is made as to whether to
recommend that the proposed transaction should be preauthorized or
declined. In an exemplary embodiment, the automatic purchase card
enable/disable module 302 uses the user inputs, the smart rules,
and the relevant transaction information to determine which
recommendation is most appropriate.
[0084] At step S414, a recommendation message is displayed on the
display screen of the smart phone 208. At step S416, the smart
phone 208 may also display a user prompt to enable the user to
indicate that the proposed transaction is accepted or declined.
[0085] The systems and methods disclosed or suggested herein may
include an application 500 or "app" running on a smart phone (e.g.,
smart phone 208). As shown in FIGS. 5-12, according to an exemplary
embodiment, the application 500 facilitates interaction by a user
of the smart phone 208 and a merchant or service provider.
[0086] For example, referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary
embodiment, the application 500 provides a security profile setup
screen 502. The setup screen 502 may be displayed when the
application 500 is launched for the first time. The user may then
select the icon shown on the setup screen 502, and then, referring
to FIG. 6, a security profile user interface 602 is displayed. The
security profile user interface enables a user to select a purchase
card from a list; enable or disable the selected purchase card;
select a smart rules enabler that relates to the selected purchase
card; and enable or disable a custom rules generator for
customizing transaction rules associated with the selected purchase
card. Examples of custom rules include transaction location rules;
spending limitation rules; restrictions; pre-authorization rules;
and whether to require multi-factor authentication.
[0087] Referring to FIG. 7, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a location security user interface 702
that enables the user to select a region on a map and to limit
transactions to an area surrounding the selected region by using a
distance selection control. Attempted purchases outside of the
selected region would then cause the rule to be triggered.
[0088] Referring to FIG. 8, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a spending limit user interface 802 that
enables the user to select a plurality of transaction amount
limits. For example, each limit may include an on/off toggle
selector, a limit amount, and a merchant name (e.g., Walmart) or a
merchant category (e.g., gas or casino). Attempted purchases that
exceed the corresponding amount limit would then cause the rule to
be triggered.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 9, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a purchase restriction user interface 902
that enables the user to add or subtract restrictions based on
merchant category (e.g., alcohol or casino) or merchant name (e.g.,
Target). Attempted purchases that correspond to the relevant
merchant type or merchant name would then cause the rule to be
triggered.
[0090] Referring to FIG. 10, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a preauthorization user interface 1002
that enables the user to add a preauthorization that is selected
from a plurality of combinable limitations. For example, a user may
preauthorize transactions on a specific date by using a date
control. The preauthorization user interface 1002 also includes a
location control, an amount control, and a merchant name control.
Accordingly, a user may preauthorize a transaction based on any or
all of these controls.
[0091] Referring to FIG. 11, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a multi-factor authentication selection
user interface 1102 that enables the user to select a second
authentication method by using an enable/disable control and a
selection control. The enable/disable control provides the user
with a means to enable or disable multifactor authentication. The
selection control provides the user with a means to select a
specific type of authentication, such as, for example, a phone
call, a text message, or a biometric input. Thus, if a user enables
multifactor authentication, a secondary authentication action may
be required in order to permit an attempted purchase card
transaction to proceed.
[0092] Referring to FIG. 12, in an exemplary embodiment, the
application 500 provides a transaction approve/decline user
interface 1202 that enables the user to approve or decline a
proposed transaction. In an exemplary embodiment, the
approve/decline user interface 1202 provides a notification that
includes purchase card identifying information, merchant
identifying information, merchant location information, and a
proposed transaction amount. The approve/decline user interface
1202 also provides an approve selector and a decline selector,
which enable the user to provide an input to either approve or
decline the proposed transaction.
[0093] Accordingly, with this technology, an optimized process for
automatically enabling and disabling a purchase card for attempted
transactions is provided. The optimized process enables a user to
efficiently and automatically determine a recommendation as to
whether a transaction should be approved or declined based on user
preferences and rules that are based on historical user
behavior.
[0094] Although the invention has been described with reference to
several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that
have been used are words of description and illustration, rather
than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of
the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without
departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure in
its aspects. Although the invention has been described with
reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the
invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars
disclosed; rather the invention extends to all functionally
equivalent structures, methods, and uses such as are within the
scope of the appended claims.
[0095] For example, while the computer-readable medium may be
described as a single medium, the term "computer-readable medium"
includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized
or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that
store one or more sets of instructions. The term "computer-readable
medium" shall also include any medium that is capable of storing,
encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a
processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or
more of the embodiments disclosed herein.
[0096] The computer-readable medium may comprise a non-transitory
computer-readable medium or media and/or comprise a transitory
computer-readable medium or media. In a particular non-limiting,
exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a
solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that
houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the
computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other
volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable
medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a
disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave
signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium.
Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any
computer-readable medium or other equivalents and successor media,
in which data or instructions may be stored.
[0097] Although the present application describes specific
embodiments which may be implemented as computer programs or code
segments in computer-readable media, it is to be understood that
dedicated hardware implementations, such as application specific
integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware
devices, can be constructed to implement one or more of the
embodiments described herein. Applications that may include the
various embodiments set forth herein may broadly include a variety
of electronic and computer systems. Accordingly, the present
application may encompass software, firmware, and hardware
implementations, or combinations thereof. Nothing in the present
application should be interpreted as being implemented or
implementable solely with software and not hardware.
[0098] Although the present specification describes components and
functions that may be implemented in particular embodiments with
reference to particular standards and protocols, the disclosure is
not limited to such standards and protocols. Such standards are
periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents
having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement
standards and protocols having the same or similar functions are
considered equivalents thereof.
[0099] The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are
intended to provide a general understanding of the various
embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a
complete description of all of the elements and features of
apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods
described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those
of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other
embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such
that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made
without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally,
the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn
to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be
exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimized. Accordingly,
the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative
rather than restrictive.
[0100] One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to
herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term "invention"
merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit
the scope of this application to any particular invention or
inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have
been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated
that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or
similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments
shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent
adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of
the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically
described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art
upon reviewing the description.
[0101] The Abstract of the Disclosure is submitted with the
understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the
scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing
Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or
described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining
the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as
reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more
features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the
following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed
to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed
embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the
Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as
defining separately claimed subject matter.
[0102] The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered
illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other
embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the
present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the
scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest
permissible interpretation of the following claims and their
equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the
foregoing detailed description.
* * * * *